Gardens Big...

...and Small ...

Some planting combinations both sing and dance.

It is quite some time since we last visited the National Botanical Garden of Wales.  The visit on Tuesday had been anticipated with great expectations and it did not disappoint.

Some kind of tropical lily

I call it the spider flower

The walled garden, the hot-house where I took these two pictures of lovely exotic rain forest plants, the gravel gardens...the big glasshouse - largest single span glass house in the world I believe...everything.   Just lovely.

Every time I've visited it has changed but stayed the same impressive inspiration.

A must-have Aquilegia
I think it is called an Origami Red-and-White

Cistus. Likes well drained soil in full sunshine.

There is somethig about both the plants above that I love and would desire in my own garden if I could squeeze them in.  I have a lovely bright pink cistus that thrives on neglect in poor soil in the sunshine.  The aquilegia is quite a promiscuous plant.   They do self seed easily but the also cross pollinate so you are never quite sure what will be the result.   Aquilegias this year have been lovely. They have liked the cool spring and indifferent summer so far.

In the truly enormous greenhouse.

In the greenhouse I love the section on South Africa...the plants take me back there in a twinkling.

Pelargonium

Protea

Gladioli

A cross section of mixed  South African plants

One day, or part of a day, is never enough to see all of the Nat Bot Gardens - never but it is enough to rejuvenate the soul.

I couldn't resist coming away with just one new plant.   I shall plant it in my border along the path near the sages and lavenders.   This is a little kniphofia, only grows to about 40 cms tall.

Kniphofia

I will have to get a few more of them but this was the last one in the plant shop there and I did get £2.00 off the price by using the vouchers we had...I still have to plant this out!

Well, you should expect to be impressed by National Botanical Gardens but you know, a dear friend of mine in Dorset sent pictures of her front and back garden...

Friend's Front garden

Friend's back garden

...that is IMPRESSIVE...and utterly beautiful isn't it?   Who could not be cheered up by those wonderful displays of colour?

Meanwhile back here in my garden, the cold spring and indifferent summer are just blighting the garden.

There is lots in the greenhouse I shall end up just putting in the compost because it is not doing anything.  Not dying, and not growing, just struggling.   As I am going away it is not worth me fretting or sweating over.   Compost.  Start again when I come back from Sweden.  Gardening is like that.   It is not all success.  Germination of peas has been patchy and snails, or slugs, in spite of my best efforts, have decimated them in one place.

The melon is a monster, but drinks so much that I fear it will die of thirst when I am away and only watered a couple of days a week.

The potatoes, so far, are pretty good.   This muggy moist misty weather is no good for them or tomatoes.  Not sure if they will stay good and produce if it continues much longer.

The strawberries are mostly going to ripen when I am away.  The children had the first two this evening.   That was exciting.  Geraldine got the second raspberry...I ate the first one.

Raspberry and lavender

These are little patio raspberries, a new experiment.   They are very tasty and have fruited but I think they will be even better next year.  I am pretty happy with them so far.  Maybe they would be better all three plants in one big pot, or planter.

Black and red currants look good - hope some left for me when I get back from Sweden in a month or so.

There are a,few little gems of course - enough to keep me going.

Cosmos, to remember South Africa

David Austin's Generous Gardener - oh, it's lovely!

The old faithful - the Geraldine Rose

I do not remember the proper name of the Geraldine Rose.   Gels gave me the parent plant all those years ago in Dorset.   It must be all of 15 years ago now since I planted the Mother.   This is one of her daughters, grown from a cutting.   A climber with beautiful scent and very vigorous repeat flowering.

So next week...end of next week - off to Sweden for a little while.   To eat Swedish sour cherry pie....
blueberries... redcurrants and raspberries.   With a bit of luck.   I understand their spring and summer have been disappointing so far too.

Never mind.   It will be lovely to see the family there and to be refreshed by their gardens too.

Happy gardening folks - till we chat again.